Feeding tube accessible garment

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to tube accessible wearing apparels and more particularly pertains to a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel for protecting the patient from having access to the feeding tube site.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/264,354, filed Nov. 25, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to tube accessible wearing apparels and more particularly pertains to a new feeding tube (g-tube) accessible wearing apparel for protecting the patient from having access to the feeding tube site.

The use of tube accessible wearing apparels is known in the prior art. More specifically, tube accessible wearing apparels heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

The feeding tube accessible wearing apparel according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs known in the art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting the patient from having access to the feeding tube site.

Disclosed herein is an elastic body suit worn on a human to protect the human (patient) from having access to the g-tube site. A gastric flap is located at the g-tube site in the front of the structure, and is held securely closed by a fastener on its three open sides, and a strap that runs from the front to the back of the garment. The gastric flap is opened by removing the strap from the fasteners and releasing the gastric flap from the fasteners on the structure. A second flap is located on the front at bottom of the structure. The second flap has fasteners around the 3 sides and is secured to the structure as part of the structure on the fourth side. The flap extends under the structure to the back of the structure.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The method of fastening the flaps and strap to the body as described herein are used only as examples. Any fasteners known in the art such as, but not limited to, Velcro, snaps, buttons, zipper, drawstring, clasp, and buckles may be used.

In another aspect provides a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

In a further aspect provides a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel which is available via a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then available at low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such feeding tube accessible wearing apparel economically available to health care providers and other interested parties.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel for protecting the patient from having access to the g-tube site.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel that is easy and convenient to use.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel that eliminates the user have to bare oneself for a medical procedure such as gastronomical feeding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a new feeding tube accessible wearing apparel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the present invention.

A gastric flap (A) is located at the g-tube site in the front of the structure, and is held securely closed by a fastener on its three open sides. The gastric flap is 2 inches larger that the opening and has fasteners on all 3 sides on the inner part of the flap structure. The fourth side of the gastric flap is secured as part of the structure. The gastric flap has cotton on the inside of the structure. The gastric flap is held shut by the fasteners along with an attached fastener strap (B) which extends around the side of the structure and to the back of the structure (C). Fastener strap (B) has fasteners on both sides and extending to the back of the structure. The gastric flap (A) is opened by removing fastener strap (B) from the fasteners and releasing gastric flap (A) from the fasteners on the structure.

A flap (D) is located on the front at bottom of the structure. The flap (D) has fasteners surrounding 3 sides and is secured to the structure as part of the structure on the fourth side which extends under the structure to the back of the structure (E). Flap (D) has cotton on the inside. All parts of this structure are made from a stretch material, including the parts of the outer layer and inner layer of the structure corresponding to the shoulder (F), partial neck (G), and armpit (H). The inner layer of the structure is of a soft material such as cotton suitable to be worn on the human body.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. 

1. A feeding tube accessible body suit comprising a body suit with holes for the head, arms and legs of the wearer; an access port for a gastric feeding tube; a gastric flap to limit access to said port; a fastener to secure the flap to said body suit; and a flap to access the peri-area of the wearer.
 2. The access port as recited in claim 1 wherein said access port comprises a gastric feeding tube access hole.
 3. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said fastener is attached to the back of said body suit and runs to the front of said body suit.
 4. The gastric flap as recited in claim 3 wherein said flap can be fastened to the front of the body suit via a fastener chosen from Velcro, snaps, buttons, zipper, drawstring, clasp, and buckles.
 5. The fastener as recited in claim 1 wherein said fastener can be fastened to the body suit via a fastener chosen from Velcro, snaps, buttons, zipper, drawstring, clasp, and buckles.
 6. The flap as recited in claim 1 wherein said flap can be fastened to the front of the body suit via a fastener chosen from Velcro, snaps, buttons, zipper, drawstring, clasp, and buckles.
 7. The body suit as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer layer of said body suit is made from a stretchable material.
 8. The body suit as recited in claim 1 wherein the inner layer of said body suit is made from a soft, absorbent material. 